President Donald Trump announced on Friday that his administration will begin a significant investigation into tariffs on furniture imports. This move aims to impose higher duties on furniture entering the United States, a sector already experiencing price hikes due to existing tariffs.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined.” The investigation is expected to be completed in about 50 days, although similar national security probes have often taken much longer. A White House official confirmed that this investigation will be conducted under the Section 232 national security statute.
This probe could provide a legal basis for maintaining current tariffs, especially if a federal appeals court overturns the “reciprocal” duties imposed by Trump on various trading partners earlier this year, as well as import taxes on goods from China, Canada, and Mexico.
Trump expressed hope that these tariffs would help revive furniture manufacturing in states like North Carolina, South Carolina, and Michigan. The furniture and wood products industry has seen a significant decline in jobs, dropping from 1.2 million workers in 1979 to just 340,000 today, according to government statistics.
In 2024, the U.S. imported around $25.5 billion worth of furniture, a 7% increase from 2023, with approximately 60% of these imports coming from Vietnam and China. Recent tariffs have already pushed consumer prices for home furnishings up by 0.7% in July, despite overall inflation being tempered by lower gasoline prices.
The American Home Furnishings Alliance, a trade group representing furniture manufacturers and importers, did not immediately comment on the announcement. However, earlier this year, the group opposed new tariffs under a previous Section 232 investigation into lumber and wood products. They argued that there is no logical connection between furniture imports and national security and warned that tariffs could hurt domestic manufacturing.
This latest investigation into furniture imports follows other national security probes initiated by the Trump administration, which have included imports of wind turbines, metals, and various critical materials. Recently, the European Union secured some relief from potential new tariffs as part of a trade deal, limiting new U.S. tariffs on certain products from the EU.
As the investigation unfolds, its impact on the furniture industry and consumer prices will be closely watched.
